Dear Friends-

I am pleased to let you know by virtue of several fund raising drives by students of Dr. Frans Doppen at Ohio University and a small grant from the Ohio Historical Society we now have the funds to erect an Ohio Historical Marker in Rendville commemorating the "Breaking of the Color Barrier" by African Americans in that community. The marker is being prepared now by officials at the Ohio Historical Society. We hope to unveil and dedicate the marker on Thursday, September 22 at 1PM at the Town Hall in Rendville. September 22 is Emancipation Day, an event celebrating President Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, celebrated annually in Rendville during more prosperous times.

Though once a community of over 1,000 persons, today Rendville is Ohio's smallest incorporated village, and is also in the running for the smallest municipality in America. The 2000 census counted 48 persons. It is believed the town's population will be in the 30's by time the 2010 census count is complete. This small population provides a limited number of persons to assist mayor Bryan Bailey in voluntary efforts, particularly given that most residents of the village are either elderly or are not long standing families who have a close tie to the village's rich history.

In preparation for the marker dedication several pieces of work need to be done. One is to paint the town hall. The other is to clean up a vacated house adjacent to the town hall lot where the marker will be placed. I am asking you to consider volunteering to help with this work, or recruiting volunteers that can help. We are planning a two-day work session on Friday, August 6 and Saturday August 7 beginning at 9AM each day and running through the afternoon for as long as we have volunteers to work. Our needs for these two days are for scrapers, painters, carpenters and errand runners (refreshments, supplies, etc.). The simple miner's house we will be cleaning up needs one section removed and the main section reinforced in several areas. So crow bars, gloves, toolboxes, etc. are needed, as well brushes, scrapers and rags.

We also need cash for purchasing plywood to cover windows in the house, paint for the house, and funds to buy volunteers lunch if you care to contribute instead of volunteering. The town does not own the vacant house so they can't put public funds toward this part of the project. Please send any checks to help with these costs asap to the Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council; P. O. Box 128; Shawnee, Ohio 43782. Make checks to LCBD-Rendville Fund.

I am starting from scratch on this solicitation, so an RSVP with a note about your work skills, available tools and/or expected date(s) of volunteering will be greatly appreciated so we can know what to plan. Also, please feel free to pass this along to others who might want to help! Thanks goes out to Tim Traxler for developing a materials list for the day. It is attached. If you see anything you are able to bring on this list please let me know.

Thanks a lot. This is a much needed effort to save an important piece of history here in southeastern Ohio! Please see the language for the historic marker below. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS TO OTHER PERSONS YOU KNOW WHO MIGHT WANT TO HELP. If you aren't exactly sure how to get to Rendville, it is located on State Route 13 in southern Perry County, about 25 miles north of Athens, 15 miles southeast of New Lexington and 1 mile north of Corning.

Sincerely,

John Winnenberg